


Prognosis

by Theobule (Saathi1013)



Category: Longmire (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Revenge, implied Martha/Walt/Henry UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-23 00:06:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9630812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saathi1013/pseuds/Theobule
Summary: Wherein Walt and Martha change places, and everything else is (mostly) the same.  Covers the series through 4x03.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fairly quickly over on tumblr, but never posted it. It probably deserves more room than just bare-bones sketchfic format, but this is all I have in me right now. Anyone else who wants to play with this au premise is welcome to, just let me know where it's posted so I can see the results. :)

The deputy cruiser is parked out front when Martha arrives home from her weekend in Denver.  Ferg is hunched on the edge of the porch, his feet propped on the dilapidated stairs.   _Walt will need to fix those soon_ , she thinks, not for the first time.

Henry helps her down from his truck; she’s still weak and wobbly from her treatment, and leans gratefully into his arm.  He and Walt have been taking turns bringing her to and from the clinic, and she’s long since swallowed her pride when it comes to accepting their help, even for the little things.

Ferg gets to his feet, spine straightening but his mouth stays crooked and downturned. When they get close enough to see the expression in his eyes, she _knows_ , without him having to say a word.

Henry’s hand clutches hers, hard, like he’s the one who needs support.

 

\- x -

 

##  _Law Enforcement Seeks Information on Sheriff’s Murder_

_Durant, WY - The sheriff of Absaroka County was found stabbed to death last Wednesday after responding to what seemed like a routine domestic disturbance call.  Walter Longmire, age 49, who recently celebrated his thirtieth wedding anniversary, was discovered by a local early on Thursday morning, having already expired from his wounds.  
_

_The assailant has not been identified and is still at large.  The interim Sheriff, Branch Connally, asks that if anyone has any information on this crime, that they call the County Crime Tipline at (307) 555-2934.  
_

_Longmire is survived by his wife, Martha and their daughter, Cady.  The family could not be reached for comment at this time._

 

\- x -

 

Cady offered to come home, to take a leave of absence from her firm.  “No, no, I don’t want your career to suffer on my account,” Martha tells her over the phone.  Her living room table is stacked high with copies of old case files she’s collected with Ruby’s help.  “I’m fine,” she says.  “Besides, I have Henry.”

 

 

\- x -

 

 _Your prognosis is good_ , the doctors tell her.   _You look so much better_ , her friends say.   _Remission_ , they call it.

“We’ll find whoever did this,” she tells Henry late one night.  He has taken to sleeping on her couch.  Walt made a lot of enemies during his time as Sheriff; several are twisted enough that they could have killed him and yet considered their task incomplete.

“We will,” he says, eyes steely.  They don’t talk about what will happen after.

Vengeance burns a cold fire through her veins.

 

\- x -

 

The pieces fall into place, slow but sure; she doesn’t tell the detective from Denver.  He stopped taking her calls months ago.  

Instead, Martha tells Henry, who disappears for six hours and comes back looking hollowed out like a gourd.  There is no blood on his clothing, no bruising on his hands or face.  She doesn’t ask.  He lifts his head and meets her eyes and nods, once.

“Go take a shower,” she tells him.  “And then come to bed.”

He hesitates at the threshold.  “Martha,” he says.  “I do not know if–”

“You always had a place here, Henry,” she tells him simply.  “We just never knew how to tell you.  Cowards, the lot of us.  I’m tired of being scared, aren’t you?”

Henry nods again, and takes her hand when she offers it.

 

\- x -

 

“You stubborn bitch,” Barlow snarls at her.  “Didn’t you get the fucking memo?  You were supposed to _stop_ your little crusade against the casino.”

“You should’ve waited for the cancer to get me,” she replies, “instead of giving me a reason to stick around.”  Then she pulls the trigger.  The shocked look on his face is the most satisfying thing she’s seen all week.

 

\- x -

 

“He attacked me,” she tells Branch, later.  It’s close enough to the truth.  Barlow _had_ been holding a gun.  

Branch squints at her for a long moment.  “…all right,” he says.  “We still need to do this by the book.  The Feds are going to want to come in.  You understand, ma’am?”

“I do,” she tells him, and leans into the arm Henry has around her shoulders.

 

 

\- end - 


End file.
